understanding the mysterious motorola radio in … 06, 2016 · understanding the mysterious...

© 2016 Los Angeles County Disaster Communications Service

Understanding the Mysterious

Motorola Radio in Your DCS Room

February 6, 2016

Deane Bouvier, N5DQ, Staff 50

Diana Feinberg, AI6DF, Staff 60




1. Background: how these radios got into your DCS room

2. Operating the Motorola radios for DCS

3. Advantages of these Motorola radios vs. ham gear

4. How to purchase identical radios for your own use


The Motorola radio in DCS rooms originated in 2009…but

most did not get installed in DCS rooms until 2012-2014

In 2009 the LASD acquired a

group of Motorola CDM-1250

and CDM 1550 mobile radios

Objective was placing one in

each DCS room

The radios could only be

programmed by the Department

Big advantage: Great radio,

and impossible for users to

accidentally “muck up”

Delays ensued, radios not

installed until starting 2012


When the Motorola radios were installed, no guidance

given on how to use them—that’s why we have this class

Let’s take a short video tour on how to operate your Motorola

radio and what its buttons do

The radios are easy to operate and fool-proof

Note: To enable posting this presentation on the DCS

website video segments shown with this slide have been

omitted due to their very large file sizes.


Need a CDM 1550 Manual for your station? Download from: http://www.motorolasolutions.com/content/dam/msi/docs/business/_docu

ments/user_guides/static_files/CDM1550LS-220-700-en.pdf


Let’s review

the operation

basics


Here’s how all DCS Motorola CDM-1250/1550 radios

currently have their P1-P4 front buttons programmed


Going forward, the DCS Tech Team plans to have your DCS

Motorola radio re-programmed with common frequency set

Future directions for your Motorola CDM-1550/1250

DCS Tech Team needs to get all DCS Districts onto TASMA-

compliant simplex frequencies

Common frequency bank for all Districts countywide will then

be loaded into all Motorola CDM radios

One “Zone” could cover DCS County frequencies

Second “Zone” could cover simplex frequencies and local

repeaters used by every DCS District, enabling Station to

Station contact

Tech Team trying to get special headsets for the Motorola radios

Some of advanced features like MDC might be implemented at

later date


With some knowledge, these Motorola radios have many

features not found on amateur units

Building a portable repeater is easy

with two Motorola CDM 1550s

$15 cable enables connection as

repeater, safely handles 20-watts

Use a higher-wattage model for

the TX unit (left, in photo) due to

larger heat sink

UHF duplexers available for

about $100

Key to advanced features is 16-

pin port on back side

440 amateur porta-peater in use for Palos

Verdes Half Marathon


The 16-pin rear connection enables radio options and

configurations most amateur radios cannot achieve

Radio top side

31

2

5

4 6 16

97

8 10

15

12

11

14

13

Pin Function Pin Function

1 External Speaker (-) 9 Emergency Alarm

2 Mic Audio 10 Ignition Control

3 Mic “Push To Talk” 11 Receive Audio

4 External Alarm 12 Programmable I/O 12

5 Flat TX Audio 13 Switch Battery Sense (+)

6 Programmable I/P 6 14 Programmable I/O 14

7 Ground 15 Internal Speaker +

8 Programmable I/O 8 16 External Speaker (+)


These Motorola radios have many other features not found

on amateur units

Other aspects of CDM 1250/1550

Excellent audio from front

speaker

Resistance to dust and dirt (no

fan opening), vibration

Great RF “front end”

All front panel buttons

programmable to many options

14-character front display

Can display MDC “ID” of other

radios calling


These Motorola radios have many other features not found

on amateur units…but some knowledge is required

Other aspects of CDM 1250/1550

Excellent audio from front

speaker

Resistance to dust and dirt (no

fan opening), vibration

Great RF “front end”

All front panel buttons

programmable to many options

14-character front display

Can display MDC “ID” of other

radios calling

…but there are a few downsides

Need to use Motorola’s software

($239 for 3-year license)

Software requires a Windows 32-bit

operating system (or Win 7 64-bit

Professional’s 32-bit emulation)

Care needed when programming to

avoid transmitting out of ham band

Need to understand Motorola terms

“Code plug”

“Conventional personality”

“Zone”

A few others


Your mysterious radio

is part of Motorola’s

“Professional Series”

Professional Series

radios are:

• Analog FM

• Widely used by:

• Ambulances

• Volunteer

firefighters

• Industrial

facilities

• Public

utilities

• Trunked radio

systems

• Available in many

configurations

• Perfect for ham

radio (usually)


Used Motorola Professional Radios available on ebay and

elsewhere; CDM-1550 discontinued by Motorola, Dec. 2015


But, you need to determine which features are in a given

“Professional” radio--be aware before you buy one…

Internal

Use

Radio

Type

Model

SeriesBandsplit Power Display

Channel

SpacingProtocol

Feature

Level

Model

Revision

Model

Package

AA

Internal

Use

M Mobile25 Model

Series

B 29.7-36

MHzH 1-25 W

A No

Display,

No Keypad

4 12.5kHz

AA

Conventio

nal

1 4

Frequency

A Original

Revision

N

Standard

Package

LA Internal

Use

H

Handheld

C 36-42

MHzK 25-40 W

C No

Display,

Basic

Keypad

9

Programm

able

DU LTR2 64

Frequency

D 42-50

MHz

D

1-5

D 1 Line

Display,Li

mited

Keypad

DP LTR

5 16 (128

on AA)

Frequency

K 136-174

MHz

F 1 Line

Display,

Standard

Keypad

6 160

Frequency

M 217-

222MHz

H 1 Line

Display,

Enhanced

Keypad

8 160

Frequency

R 403-470

MHz

N 4 Line

Display,

Enhanced

Keypad

S 450-512

MHz

Motorola Professional Series Product Identification Matrix


…for amateur use get Bandsplit K (2-meters) or R (for 440);

Channel Spacing = 9; Protocol = AA; Feature Level 5 or 6

Internal

Use

Radio

Type

Model


Channel

SpacingProtocol

Feature

Level

Model

Revision

Model

Package

AA

Internal

Use

M Mobile25 Model

Series

B 29.7-36

MHzH 1-25 W

A No

Display,

No Keypad

4 12.5kHz

AA

Conventio

nal

1 4

Frequency

A Original

Revision

N

Standard

Package

LA Internal

Use

H

Handheld

C 36-42

MHzK 25-40 W

C No

Display,

Basic

Keypad

9

Programm

able

DU LTR2 64

Frequency

D 42-50

MHz

D

1-5

D 1 Line

Display,Li

mited

Keypad

DP LTR

5 16 (128

on AA)

Frequency

K 136-174

MHz

F 1 Line

Display,

Standard

Keypad

6 160

Frequency

M 217-

222MHz

H 1 Line

Display,

Enhanced

Keypad

8 160

Frequency

R 403-470

MHz

N 4 Line

Display,

Enhanced

Keypad

S 450-512

MHz

Example: Motorola CDM 1550 VHF 136-174 MHz AA M 25 K K F 9 AA 5 AN


The same programming software also programs and shares

many features with the companion handheld HT-1250/1550

Internal

Use

Radio

Type

Model


Channel

SpacingProtocol

Feature

Level

Model

Revision

Model

Package

AA

Internal

Use

M Mobile25 Model

Series

B 29.7-36

MHzH 1-25 W

A No

Display,

No Keypad

4 12.5kHz

AA

Conventio

nal

1 4

Frequency

A Original

Revision

N

Standard

Package

LA Internal

Use

H

Handheld

C 36-42

MHzK 25-40 W

C No

Display,

Basic

Keypad

9

Programm

able

DU LTR2 64

Frequency

D 42-50

MHz

D

1-5

D 1 Line

Display,Li

mited

Keypad

DP LTR

5 16 (128

on AA)

Frequency

K 136-174

MHz

F 1 Line

Display,

Standard

Keypad

6 160

Frequency

M 217-

222MHz

H 1 Line

Display,

Enhanced

Keypad

8 160

Frequency

R 403-470

MHz

N 4 Line

Display,

Enhanced

Keypad

S 450-512

MHz

Example: Motorola HT-1250 VHF 136-174 MHz AA H 25 K D F 9 AA 5 AN


In summary, Motorola Professional radios offer lot of value

and power; for DCS use, just remember our simple buttons

Thanks for

listening.

Push to turn

on/off;Turn to adjust

volume

Channel selector

understanding the mysterious motorola radio in … 06, 2016 · understanding the mysterious...

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